Angels miscues help Tigers to a 2-1 victory

Mike DiGiovanna

KEY MOMENT: The Angels made three errors — on one first-inning play — to give Detroit a run. Ian Kinsler took off from first base on a full-count pitch that Miguel Cabrera took for ball four. Catcher Hank Conger, thinking it was strike three, tried to gun down Kinsler, but his throw sailed into center field, allowing Kinsler to take third base. Center fielder Mike Trout's throw went over second and bounced behind the mound for error No. 2, allowing Kinsler to score. Pitcher Hector Santiago retrieved Trout's throw and fired wildly past the plate as Kinsler scored, Cabrera taking second on error No. 3.

AT THE PLATE: The Angels managed one run and five hits, including Howie Kendrick's two-out run-scoring single in the first inning, in seven innings against Rick Porcello, who entered with a 3-4 record and 8.34 earned-run average in nine starts against the Angels.

ON THE MOUND: Santiago looked great at times, striking out Cabrera twice looking at fastballs and getting him to bounce into a double play. But the left-hander also walked five and needed 119 pitches to get through 52/3 innings in which he gave up two unearned runs, two hits and struck out seven. "For as erratic as some things were, he gave us a chance to win," Manager Mike Scioscia said.

IN THE FIELD: Conger's second error, a wild throw on an attempt to pick off Austin Jackson at first base in the sixth inning, led to Detroit's second run. Jackson took second and scored on Nick Castellanos' two-out single against Kevin Jepsen. The Angels bullpen has allowed 14 of 24 inherited runners (58%) to score, the second-worst rate in the American League.

ON SECOND THOUGHT: Trailing, 2-1, Collin Cowgill led off the eighth inning with a single. Scioscia, normally a proponent of small ball, eschewed the bunt, and No. 9 hitter Erick Aybar, who is batting, .175, popped out on the first pitch. "With where our bullpen and their bullpen was at the time, I thought the best chance to score was to see if Aybar could get a hit and then bunt the runners up," Scioscia said.

EXTRA BASES: Reliever Josh Wall, who gave up six runs and five hits in one inning against the Tigers on Friday and Saturday, was optioned to triple A after the game. The Angels will add a reliever Monday.

QUOTEBOOK: "That was pretty crazy. I looked up, and the next thing I know, there were three errors on the board." — Conger, on the first-inning play.